I try. I really do. On my desk here at Oswestry School you’ll find a copy of the most recent issues of The Economist, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, some up-to-date political commentaries, my AP U.S. Government textbooks from Mr. Kantaros’ class last year, the NEWS, a couple of seasons of West Wing—I think that you get the picture. This was my passion, is my passion: American government and politics. At Mercersburg that interest was more than satisfied. With periodicals and major newspapers in Lenfest Library, Messrs. Kantaros and Tompkins in the classroom, the Mercersburg News, Model United Nations, and other connected students I could be as actively involved in debates as any high school student.

This year I’m finding this task particularly difficult. As I’ve said in previous posts, there are the occasional defences that I offer for my home country. The Debate Team here is preparing to host a regional competition in the New Year, but there is no course in government—British or American—and most of the aforementioned publications were hand-delivered by my family when they visited for Thanksgiving last week. I found something similar in parts of the larger community at Mercersburg—something of an unawareness or lack of concern for events beyond campus—but there were always the activists, the Model UN “nerds,” the NEWS staffers, and AP U.S. Gov. to pull me through.

I can’t imagine what could be more important today—this coming from someone who counted down the days until his first absentee ballot just about a month ago. Seriously, though, for British and American citizens alike, decisions taken and events carried out across the globe now have more far-reaching consequences than ever. Many Brits are tightening their belts as a result of the American sub-prime mortgage “crisis.” The policies enacted by many American lenders can affect investors even here, on the Welsh border of Shropshire. Students, those set to step into this “real world” in just a few short years, have a great stake in what happens now; we’ll inherit everything: the successes, the mistakes.

I spoke about this last year on the stage of the Simon Theatre, dressed in a golden Taiwanese dress shirt and against the backdrop of photos from AP U.S. Government and Comparative Politics’ conference in Chang Hua. I spoke about it from the hallowed graduation platform between South Cottage and Keil Hall as Salutatorian this past June. And I’m sure that the subject will come up at Columbia next year, where I plan to study Political Science. Until then, here I am… connected to my alma mater through the omnipresent worldwide web, another invaluable utensil to help quench my thirst for information. On it I can find study after study that says students are just as uninformed today as they were before the advent of such modern technology. I’m trying over here, just as I tried—and succeeded through participation in Mercersburg reaccreditation process—back in Pennsylvania. In the meantime I can look forward to a month back at home for Christmas, and the access to XM radio, cable news, and three channels of CSPAN that will come with it.
 

Posted by at November 28, 2007 10:00 PM

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